Perhaps unsurprising, this, but Peter Mandelson doesn't like the taste of Kraft cheese slices. The business secretary has been outspoken in his criticism of the US food company's takeover of Britain's Cadbury empire. He's on a visit to New York this week so I asked him whether he'd take the opportunity, while in the US, to sample one of the American firm's iconic orange slivers of processed cheese.

"I did so once when I was very young and I'm happy to leave the experience there," replied Mandelson with something that approximated to a shudder.

Mandelson has demanded that Rosenfeld consults with the government during a review of Cadbury's operations in Britain, which is likely to take three to six months.

"I look forward to keeping in touch with her and with her senior management during that period to make the point that the company's plants in Britain and workforce are of excellent quality," said Mandelson, who was at a speaking engagement at New York University today. "Cadbury has an excellent track record of marketing brands in the UK and we'd like to see the maximum level of manufacturing employment, and corporate employment, in Britain."